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PTA Standards

Issue Draft: Close Date Semantics ​

Repository: pta-standards Labels: spec-clarification, beancount-v3, undefined

Title ​

[beancount-v3] Clarify close date semantics: is posting ON close date allowed?

Body ​

Spec Reference ​

  • formats/beancount/v3/spec/validation/accounts.md - Account Closed section

Current Status ​

Marked as UNDEFINED in the spec.

Question ​

When an account is closed on a given date, can transactions occur on that same date?

Option A: Inclusive (close at end of day)

beancount
2023-12-31 close Assets:Account

2023-12-31 * "Final transaction"
  Assets:Account   100 USD    ; ALLOWED - same day as close
  Income:Salary

2024-01-01 * "After close"
  Assets:Account   100 USD    ; ERROR - after close
  Income:Salary

Option B: Exclusive (close at start of day)

beancount
2023-12-31 close Assets:Account

2023-12-31 * "Same day"
  Assets:Account   100 USD    ; ERROR - on or after close
  Income:Salary

Python Beancount Behavior ​

Python beancount 3.2.0 implements Option A:

  • Posting ON the close date is allowed
  • Only postings AFTER the close date produce an error
  • Semantic interpretation: "closed at end of day"

Discussion ​

Which should be the normative behavior?

  • Option A allows final transactions on the close date
  • Option B is stricter and unambiguous
  • Most real-world use: close at year-end, may have year-end transactions

Resolution Needed ​

Once consensus is reached here, we will:

  1. Update the spec to document the normative behavior
  2. File upstream issue if clarification from beancount maintainers is needed